Typical computer systems, especially computer systems using graphical user interfaces (GUIs), are optimized for accepting user input from one or more discrete input devices, such as a keyboard for entering text, and a pointing device, such as a mouse with one or more buttons, for operating the user interface. An example of such a GUI is the user interface for the Windows® computer operating system (available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.). The ubiquitous keyboard and mouse interface provides for fast creation and modification of documents, spreadsheets, database fields, drawings, photos, and the like.
Recently, however, pen-based computing systems, such as tablet PCs and the like, have been increasing in popularity. In pen-based computing systems, user input is advantageously introduced using an electronic “pen” or stylus (e.g., akin to writing with a pen or pencil on a piece of paper). Indeed, in at least some pen-based computing systems, all user input is capable of being entered and manipulated using an electronic pen input device, and the user interface is fully controllable using only the electronic pen.
Typically, with presently available pen-based computing systems, individual file names (and other information associated with a file or document) may be input in various ways, such as by using a keyboard (hard or soft) to type in the name or by entering the title as electronic ink data. When entered as electronic ink, however, the file name typically is immediately recognized and converted to machine-generated text (using handwriting recognition technology), because typical operating systems are not capable of reading and/or displaying electronic ink in all displays in which the file name may appear (such as in search result hit lists, list file display lists, recently used file display lists, etc.). Once recognized and converted, only the machine-generated text is displayed in the various objects managed by the operating system.
While the above systems are useful and desirable, some difficulties can arise. For example, users accustomed to entering data in electronic ink form may dislike using a hard or soft keyboard to enter the file name information (finding it slow or inconvenient). With respect to file names and/or other information input as electronic ink and then converted to machine-generated text, conventional handwriting recognizers do not always do a good job recognizing handwriting, particularly for file names, which do not necessarily follow a well-established dictionary or conventional grammar rules.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for systems and methods that allow input and display of file names and/or other information in electronic ink format in objects managed by a computer operating system, while still providing searching and other capabilities available with machine-generated file names used by conventional operating systems.